"He was a member of the hall right from day one," says CEO of the Road Transport Hall of Fame, Liz Martin.

"We're really going to miss him here, he was part of our extended family."

Liz first met Ronnie (also known as 'Ruffy' or 'Doylie') at her parents meatworks in the Top End. She says Ronnie was one of the pioneers of the industry and was well known and loved around the country.

Ronnie Doyle started driving trucks in the 70's, hauling goods along the vast stretches of road connecting the southern cities to Alice Springs and Darwin.

"It was dirt between Port Augusta and Alice Springs in those days," says Liz, "and a single lane, World War Two bitumen track between Alice and Darwin."

"The block of ice on skis was actually the logo for a company called 'Cold Storage'...they used to take frozen goods to Darwin."

Conditions were not as comfortable then as they are today, drivers would tackle the heat of Summer with a system known as '240 airconditioning.'

"Two windows down and 40 miles an hour!" laughs Liz.

The era that Ronnie worked in is celebrated at the Road Transport Hall of Fame and Liz says Mr Doyle experienced many 'firsts'.

He was one of the first drivers of the imported S-model Kenworths, as well as one of the first to drive the triple axle, or 'three dog' roadtrains that are now commonplace on our roads.

"It was in his blood," says Liz.

"It really was an era of camaraderie and mateship and giving each other a hand on the road and that really comes through with people like Ronnie who carried that through to the younger generation."

Ronald Victor Doyle passed away suddenly in South Australia on January 8th, 2012. He was 74.